Capsule-filler.



W. .I. KIRKLAND.

CAPSULE FILLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1914.

Patented July 20, 1915.

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CAPSULE FILLER. 7

APPLICATION nuzu JULY 3, 1914.

1,147,512, I PatantedJulsy 20,1915.

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WILLIAM JOHN KIRKLAND, OF BLACKWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

CAPSULE-FILLER.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915 Application filed my 3, 1914. Serial No. 848,762.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. KIRK- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blackwood, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have lnvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gapsule-Fillers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates todevices for filling capsules, the purpose bein to enable a powder or analogous materia measured and charged into capsule bodies after which the bodies are provided with caps, the several operations being performed with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming-a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing a box containing a powder and a leveling plate used for insuring uniform thickness of the powder within the box. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the funnel plate and the powder box containing the powder. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the powder box containing the powder, the funnel plate extending into the powder box and the guide plate and capsule body holder connected with the funnel plate. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section showing the parts appearing in Fig. 3 with the addition tudinal section of a plunger plate the parts being inverted as compared with Fig. 3. Fig. 5 1s a longithrough the capsule body holder and the cap holder, these parts together containing the capsules now practically finished. Fig. 6 is a group figure showing partly in section and partly in elevation the cap holder, the capsule body holder and a number of finished capsules. Fig. 7 is a group figure showing in section the guide plate and the capsule body holder. Fig. 8 1s a view, artly in section and partly broken away, 0 the capsule body holder. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the cap holder containin a number of caps. Fig. 10 is a longiv the funnel tudina section through the cap holder and body holder, as assembled and containing capsules. Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of plate. Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the funnel plate. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the guide plate. Fig. 14 is a frasection showing the powder box an leveling plate.

to be efiectively entary The powder box appears at 16, the leveling plate at 17, and a quantity of loose powder-for instance quinin or other similar drug-at 18.

A funnel plate appears instance is of masslve construction. tending through the funnel plate are a number of cylindrical openings 20 and encircling adjacent ends of these openings are annular necks 21, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. The funnel plate is provided with a number of compartments 22 of frusto-pyramidal form which merge into the openings 20. The compartments 22 are separated by wedge-shaped or beveled edges 23 as may be understood from Figs. 2 and 12. The structure of the funnel plate 19 is such that when the powder 18 is leveled within the box 16, as indicated in Fig.1, and the funnel plate 19 is then let down into the box, with the edges 23 downward, as indicated in Fig. 2, the powder is, by the shearing or dividing action of the bevels 23, subdivided into charges 24 each having a substantially frusto-pyramidal form, as indicated at the bottom of Fig. 2.

at 19, and in this A- guide plate 1s shown at 25 and its form may be readily understood from Figs. 3 and 7. The guide plate is provided ,with cylindrical openings 26 andwith annular compartments 27 merging into these openings.

-plns 31, whlch are of proper shape and size to fit into dowel holes 32, with which the guide plate 25 is provided. When the pins 31 fit into the holes 32, the guide plate 25 is held in proper registry with the capsule body holder 28. The'capsule body holder is further provided with holes 33 of smaller diameter than the openings 29 and merging into the same. The capsule bodyholder is provided with guide rods 34 and encircling these guide rods are, spreading springs 35 for spreading the parts of. the capsule holder apart in order to admit the capsule bodies. A pair of actuating levers 36 are pivotally mounted upon bosses 37 and are provided with eyes 38. Extending through these eyes, and fitting loosely into the same, are pins 39 carried by a head 40- This head is provided with a sleeve 41 which fits over a post 42. Mounted upon this post is a screw stem 43 and fitting upon this screw stem is a wing nut 44 which engages the sleeve 41. By turning the wing nut 44 so as to move the sleeve 41 relatively to the post 42, the actuating levers 36 are swung upon their pivots, which are shown at 37. The guide rods 34 thereupon force the various portions of the capsule body holder together. The capsule cap holder is shown at 46, and is quite similar in structure to the capsule body holder 28, above described. The cap holder 46 is provided with compartments 45, each having substantially the general form of a capsule cap. The cap holder is provided with guide rods 34 and various other parts with which the capsule body holder 28 is provided, as described elsewhere. 0

A plunger plate 49 is provided w1th a number of plungers 5O rigid relatively to 1t, and of suitable size to be easily thrust through the holes 21 in the funnel plate 19, as may be understood from Fig. 4.

The operation of my device is as follows :First the loose powder 18 is placed within the box 16, and leveled off as shown in Fig. 1 by use of the leveling plate 17. The funnel plate 19 is next placed in the box, as indicated in Fig. 2, so as to subdivide the powder-into charges 24 of frusto-pyramid form, as above described. Next the guide plate 25 is placed upon the funnel plate 19, the annular compartments 27 of the guide plate receiving and fitting upon the necks 21. Finally the capsule bodies 30 are fitted into the capsule body holder 28 and secured therein by action of the levers 36 and wing nut 44. The capsule body holder, containing the capsule bodies which are now held rigidly in place, is next brought over the guide plate 25 and turned into such position that the projecting portions of the capsule bodies extend into the adjacent holes 26 of the guide plate 25, as may be understood from Fig. 3. Next all of the parts shown in this figure, considered as a unit, are inverted or turned over into the relative positions indicated in Fig. 4. The various charges of powder 24 now flow downwardly by gravity and lodge within the capsule bodies 30. The box 16 being next removed, the plunger plate 45 is brought into use and placedas indicated in Fig. 4, the plunger-s 50 extending downwardly through holes 20 and into engagement with the powder contained within the capsule bodies 30, so as to pack the powder to an desired extent. The plunger plate and t e funnel plate are next removed, and for a moment the remaining parts are left resting upon the table. 15. The cap holder 46 is next charged with a number of capsule caps 45, which of course are empty. Next the cap holder 46, containing the caps 45,

is brought into registry with the capsule body holder 28, so' that the dowel pins 31 extend into the dowel holes 32. This done, the various caps 45 are now fitting neatly upon the adjacentprojecting end portions of the capsule bodies 29, as may be-understood from Fig. 5. Next the cap holder 45 is loosened, so as to disengage the caps 45 and leave the latter in engagement with the capsule bodiesthe cap holder 46 being now carefully lifted off. Next the capsule body holder 28is loosened. relatively to the capsule bodies 29, and by inverting the capsule body holder 28, the various capsules, now completed, are readily ejected. If for any reason one of them should happen to stick, it may be dislodged by thrusting a plunger or otner analogous object through the corresponding hole 33.

As it is manifest that the various parts of the device may be made in different forms, I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown. Variations may be made from this construction, to suit the specialneeds of particular cases, the scope of my invention being defined by my claims. The guide plate 25 and the funnel plate 19 may either be made each in a single piece or -else made in halves secured together by suitable clamps.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows v 1. In a' capsule filler, the combination with a powder box, of a funnel plate in the box, said plate being provided with vertical openings and on its under side with a plurality of compartments merging into the openings and separated by beveled walls, said walls separating the powder in the box into charges of frusto-pyramidal form.

2. As an article of manufacture a funnel plate comprising a body member provided with a number of holes and further provided with a number of compartments merging into said holes and separated by beveled walls, said funnel plate being further provided with a plurality of necks, each encircling the end of one of said holes.

3. A device of the character described comprising a funnel plate provided with holes extending through it vertically and also provided with necks, a guide plate provided with holes extending through it and further provided with annular compartments into which said necks are adapted to fit so as to hold said guide plate in registry with said funnel plate, a capsule body holder for engaging said guide plate, and means for detachably holding said capsule body holder in registry with said guide plate.

4. A device of the character described, a funnel plate provided with holes extending through it, aguide plate provided with holes extending through it and adapted to register with the holes of said funnel plate, a capsule body holder provided with openings for holding capsules, means for maintaining said capsule body holder in registry with said guide plate, and a plunger plate provided with plungers for extending through said holes of said funnel plate and into said holes of said guide plate.

5. The combination with a plurality of bars arranged in the same plane and having their adjacent sides constructed with semicylindrical registering openings, guide rods extending loosely through all of said bars, springs normally separating the bars, levers pivoted intermediate of their ends and having their outer ends connected with said guide rods, a fixed screw carried by one of the bars, a head slidable on the screw and loosely connected with the inner ends of the levers, and a nut applied to the screw for 20 adjusting said head and thereby actuating the levers for bringing the several bars into contact, as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 2 

